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Date: 9/8/2021
SPRINGFIELD – Local musician Alex Rohan is preparing to participate in the Island Hopper Songwriter Festival taking place on Sept. 17-26 in Fort Myers, Florida.
For Rohan, he said his connection to music started at a young age.
“Everybody on my dad’s side of the family played instruments and sang. I sang when I was growing up but didn’t take guitar seriously until I was 13. I’ve been pretty much obsessed ever since,” said Rohan. According to Rohan, his musical upbringing led him to start writing songs in his early teenage years. He fondly recalled formative years spent in the hair salon that his mom owns, stating that he was drawn into music by a variety of artists like Alicia Keys, Sublime and Michael Jackson.
Rohan said that years of working on his craft have allowed him to develop a versatile musical style.
“I don’t really have a genre, that’s something I am really proud of. I love all kinds of music, so whatever the song dictates for, I go in that direction,” said Rohan.
He cited numerous genres in his repertoire, including southern rock, reggae and intimate R&B tracks. While he utilizes a medley of genres, he said a common theme of emotions and personal situations remains a common theme.
“As you get older and perfect your craft, you get better lyrically and vocally,” said Rohan. He said he has evolved significantly since his early days, but he still enjoys incorporating-and at times repurposing-some of his early influences. One example is a song on his latest album called “Figments,” which Rohan explained started as a byproduct of teenage angst before transforming into a meaningful track on sobriety.
All of Rohan’s work has led him to his upcoming appearance at Island Hopper Songwriter Festival. Rohan said he was initially involved from his job working at the Tree House Brewing Company, which was started by Rohan’s father. The vice president of the music publisher and licenser BMI, Dan Spears, visited Tree House during a performance from one of his national acts. Once Spears learned of Rohan’s music, he offered Rohan a spot at the Island Hopper fest in Key West planned for 2020.
COVID-19 caused last year’s festival to be canceled, but Rohan said he was thrilled to be invited back this year.
“It was pretty upsetting, considering it was the most excited I’ve been for any show, but [Spears] kept in contact and happily invited me back,” said Rohan. He shared that he will play a few sets on Sept. 24, 25 and 26.
As he prepares for his performance, Rohan said he looks forward to this new opportunity in his career. “I’ve always been a big fish in a small pond [on performing in Western Mass.] …so hopefully I perform great and get invited back,” said Rohan. Readers can learn more about Rohan’s music and his upcoming performances at his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AlexRohanAcoustic.